The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
In conventional database systems, users access their data resources in one logical database. A user of such a conventional system typically retrieves data from and stores data on the system using the user's own systems. A user system might remotely access one of a plurality of server systems that might in turn access the database system. Data retrieval from the system might include the issuance of a query from the user system to the database system. The database system might process the request for information received in the query and send to the user system information relevant to the request. The rapid and efficient retrieval of accurate information and subsequent delivery of this information to the user system relies on the data in the database system complying with certain constraints. However, this limits the types, sizes, and kinds of data that can be stored in the database.
In order to provide for more types, kinds, and sizes of data, the database can be supplemented with an additional data store to hold other data and additional data. The data can be searchable separately or pointers to the separate data store in the database can be searchable. However, the separate data store adds complexity to modifying, correcting, and updating the database and the data store. This added complexity may interfere with users accessing the database and finding data in the separate data store.